Preview: Stevenage vs. Lincoln City - prediction, team news, lineups

The home side are currently fifth in the table, boasting 29 points from their opening 17 matches of the campaign, while Lincoln sit ninth, collecting 23 points from their first 16 games.

Match preview

Stevenage secured their position in League One for the 2023-24 campaign courtesy of their runners-up spot in last season's League Two table, and they are therefore bidding to make it back-to-back promotions.

The Boro have impressed in the third tier this season, boasting a record of eight wins, five draws and four defeats from their 17 matches, which has left them in fifth position in the table on 29 points.

Steve Evans's side are six points behind second-placed Oxford United and just two ahead of seventh-placed Derby County, though, so a lot could change in a short space of time.

Stevenage will bring a four-game winning run into this contest, overcoming Derby and Wycombe Wanderers in their last two in the league, while they also progressed to the second round of the FA Cup courtesy of their 4-3 success at home to Tranmere Rovers.

Evans's team beat Crystal Palace Under-21s 5-2 in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, meanwhile, but the League One side had already been eliminated from the competition ahead of that contest.

Lincoln, meanwhile, announced earlier this week that Michael Skubala had been appointed as the club's new permanent manager.

The Imps sacked Mark Kennedy as head coach last month, so the club are now entering a new era under Skubala, and the 41-year-old, who has previously been in caretaker charge of Leeds United, will be desperate to get his tenure off to the best possible start.

Lincoln drew 1-1 with Port Vale in the league last weekend, and they currently sit ninth in the table, boasting 23 points from their opening 16 matches.

The visitors are only six points behind Stevenage with a game in hand and are certainly capable of pushing closer to the playoffs spots in the weeks ahead.

The Imps have not been victorious in League One since October 24, though, while they have only won one of their last five league matches away from their own stadium.

Stevenage League One form:

W

L

D

D

W

W

Stevenage form (all competitions):

D

D

W

W

W

W

Lincoln City League One form:

L

W

W

D

L

D

Lincoln City form (all competitions):

W

D

L

L

W

D

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Team News

Stevenage head coach Evans, as expected, made changes for the EFL Trophy contest with Palace Under-21s last time out, and Aaron Pressley came up with a brace in the contest.

Pressley might be forced to accept a spot on the bench for the first whistle here, though, with the same XI that took to the field against Wycombe in the league last time out potentially being named.

Jamie Reid has been in excellent form this season, scoring 10 times in League One, and the 29-year-old is certain to return in the final third of the field here.

As for Lincoln, their leading goalscorer in the league this season is Hakeeb Adelakun with three, and the 27-year-old is again set to be in the XI on Saturday afternoon.

Lasse Sorensen is also set to keep his spot in an attacking area, while Alistair Smith should be included in a wide area in Skubala's first match at the helm.

The new head coach is expected to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes, as he will be closely assessing his squad in the coming weeks before settling on a regular XI.

Stevenage possible starting lineup:

Ashby-Hammond; James-Wildin, Vancooten, Piergianni; Freeman, MacDonald, Burns, Butler; Hemmings, Roberts, Reid

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Jensen; Mitchell, Jackson, O'Connor; Burroughs, Hamilton, Erhahon, Roughan; Sorensen, Adelakun, Smith

We say: Stevenage 2-1 Lincoln City

Lincoln have won three of the last four meetings between these two sides, which have all been in League Two. Indeed, Stevenage have not beaten Saturday's opponents in any competition since March 2011, but we are backing them to secure a narrow success in this contest.

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